Detroit Lions Preseason 2014: 5 Things To Keep An Eye On In Week 2

Detroit Lions Preseason 2014: 5 Things To Watch For in Week 2

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Week 2 of the NFL preseason is set to begin this Thursday and for the Detroit Lions, they will certainly have to improve on their questionable performance against Cleveland this past Saturday. The Lions face the Oakland Raiders this Friday and will look to be more efficient on both sides of the ball, especially on offense.

Here are five Lions storylines to follow in Week 2 of their preseason.

5. The Kicking Game

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5. The Kicking Game

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Rookie Nate Freese saw all of the field goal opportunities for the Lions in Week 1, hitting both of his field goal attempts, but Giorgio Tavecchio kicked the game-winning extra point. Expect Tavecchio to get a majority of the kicking duties this week as each will rotate until a decision is made.

4. The Offensive Line

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4. The Offensive Line

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Four of the five offensive line positions are set for the Lions, but the battle at right tackle is ongoing. Second-year player LaAdrian Waddle and veteran Corey Hilliard are competing for the job and will get a stiff test this week. Waddle and Hilliard will line up against veteran pass rushers Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley, both off-season acquisitions for the Raiders.

3. The Backup Quarterback Position

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3. The Backup Quarterback Position

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The backup quarterback battle is ongoing as Kellen Moore continues to put some serious heat on Dan Orlovsky. For the majority of three quarters against the Browns, Orlovsky only led the Lions to three points. Moore, on the other hand, had a solid effort, completing 11 of 13 passes and throwing the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Expect Moore to get No. 2 reps this week with Orlovsky getting time as the No. 3 quarterback.

2. The Pass Rush

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2. The Pass Rush

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Against Cleveland, the Lions went conservative on defense. However, the Lions weren't able to get much pressure on Brian Hoyer when the first-team was out on the field. With Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley on the interior, the edge rushers have to find a way to get to the passer, even in the preseason.

1. Fumbling Issues

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1. Fumbling Issues

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Detroit's issues with turnovers from last year reared its ugly head last Saturday. Detroit ball carriers fumbled the ball three times, twice turning the ball over to the Browns. Running backs George Winn and Steen Miller had crucial fumbles, not helpful as both are on the outside looking in. Moore had his own fumbling problem as he misplayed a snap, which the Browns recovered as the Lions were inside the red zone.